Cream Cheese Cranberry Bread

1 cup butter

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan or a bundt pan.

Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing well. Mix well with a whisk. 

Slowly mix dries into wet batter until combined. Fold in cranberries and pecans.

Pour into prepared baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes.

Optional: Combine the juice of one orange and 1 cup powdered sugar. Mix well until lumps disappear. Pour over hot cake in the pan, as soon as it comes out of the oven. 

Recipe modified from http://julieseatsandtreats.com

Never Fail Gingerbread

We made this Gingerbread Recipe all the time when I was a kid.  It's very easy, doesn't take many ingredients, and tastes delicious.

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c oil
1/2 c molasses or Ribbon Cane Syrup
1/3 c raisins
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1 c hot water

Combine sugar, flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger in small mixing bowl. Set aside. Combine oil and molasses in large mixing bowl. Add flour mixture alternately with hot water, to molasses and oil. Stir until smooth. Pour into a greased 8"x10" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm. Makes 12 squares.

Banana Tea Bread

My sister used to make this Banana Tea Bread when we were kids and it was so good!

1 3/4 c flour, sifted
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/3 c shortening
2 eggs, well beaten
2/3 c sugar
2-3 bananas, mashed

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.  Beat shortening with electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with bananas. Beat well after each addition until smooth. Pour into a well-greased bread pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 inches), and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Makes 1 loaf of Banana Tea Bread.

Orange Rolls

1 pkg dry yeast
1/4 c warm water
3 1/2 c flour
2 T butter, melted
3/4 c sugar
2 T grated orange rind
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 c plus 2 T butter, melted
2 eggs
1/4 c sugar
1 t salt

In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Add sour cream, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, eggs and salt; mix well. Add 2 cups of flour and mix well. Gradually stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times, until smooth. Place in greased bowl and turn to grease all sides of dough. Cover and let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead 10 to 15 times. Divide dough in half and roll half into a 12-inch circle. Brush with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and cut into 12 wedges. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and orange rind. Sprinkle half of sugar over 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge, beginning at wide end, and place on a greased baking sheet, point side down. Repeat for remaining half of dough and sugar mixture.

Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until rolls are doubled in bulk. Bake at 325 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes. Makes 2 dozen rolls.

Eggnog Bread

Baking Eggnog Bread is a delicious way to use up leftover eggnog.

2 1/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1/4 t nutmeg
2 eggs
1 c sugar
1 c eggnog
1/2 c butter
2 t rum extract
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg using a wire wisk. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth; beat in eggs, rum extract, vanilla and eggnog. Stir in flour mixture until just moistened. Pour into loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Store bread in refrigerator. Makes one loaf.

Easy Sausage Rolls

Sausage rolls and hot cocoa make a good Christmas morning breakfast.

1 pkg (1 dozen) frozen bread rolls
1 pkg skinless link sausage
cheese slices

Thaw rolls on a buttered plate. Slice sausage link in half, then cut each half in thirds. Cut thirds in half. Flatten each roll and insert a cheese and sausage slice. Fold roll in half and pinch edges to seal. Place on a buttered baking sheet. Cover rolls with saran wrap, sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise until doubled in size. Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees, until brown. About 12 minutes.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c sugar
1/2 c oil
1 cup solid pack pumpkin
2 1/4 c flour
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c chopped cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8x3 3/4x2 1/2-inch aluminum loaf pans.
In medium mixing bowl, combine slightly beaten eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin; mix well. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, soda and salt; make a well in center. Pour pumpkin mixture into well; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter equally into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degre for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.

Banana Nut Bread

2/3 c sugar
1/3 c shortening
2 eggs
3 T buttermilk
1 c mashed bananas
2 c sifted flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan;set aside.
In large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine sugar, shortening and eggs. Stir in buttermilk and bananas. In small mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture and combine well. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan and let stand 20 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Whole Wheat Raisin-Nut Bread

3 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c wheat germ
1/4 c wheat bran
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 c honey
1/4 c oil
3/4 c raisins
1/2 c walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside.
Combine flour, wheat germ, bran, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Combine buttermilk, honey and oil in a small mixing bowl. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in raisins and nuts. Spread into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack and cool. Makes 1 loaf, 18 slices, 177 calories per slice.